Cup-dispensing apparatus



E. G. WESSMAN.

CUP DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15 190 1,303,433. Patented May13, 1919* 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1...

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E. a. WESSMAN. CUP DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I5. 1909.

1,303,433, Patehted May 13,1919-,.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2A.

E. G. WESSMAN.

CUP DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION man APR. 15. I909.

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EDWIN G. WESSMAN, 0F PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

CUP-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application filed April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,025. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. VVESS- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Passaic, in the county of Passaic an State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Cup-Dispensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing such articles as cups and other containers for liquid; the principal objects being to provide a simple and effective apparatus of this class in which the cup is re moved from a supply stored in a suitable receiver and delivered to the user by a member or device, which, in its dispensing position, presents to view and easy access the holding means by which a cup is delivered. This enables it to be determined at a glance whether the apparatus has acted properly to withdraw the cup from the supply. Moreover, in its normal operation the apparatus upon one movement of the user renders a cup accessible, yet holds it until a further movement, which may consist of its direct withdrawal by the hand from the retaining means or the release of the delivery member, the latter then causing the cup to be ejected from the apparatus. Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar characters refer to like parts throughout the various views: Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of my improved dispensingapparatus, a portion of the'cup-receiver eing broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the upper portion of the main casing on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through the delivery drum on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a full side elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a full vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a partial section similar to Fig. 6, showing the drum in its delivery-position; Fig. 8 is a full vertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail illustrating the engagement of the cup by the delivery-drum; and Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the means for interlocking the delivery-drum and cup-follower.

The body of my cup-dispensing apparatus consists of a casing A, preferably of metal, as are the other elements, this casing having two generally cylindrical upper and lower portions 20 and 21, respectively. The lat ter has attached to or formed integrally with it a base 22, which may rest upon or be attached to any suitable horizontal supporting surface. Between the two casing portions is asomewhat contracted connecting Web 23 in which is a passage 24. Rising from the top of the casing is a socket 25 in which is seated a tube 25*, which may be separably-locked in placeby a padlock or the like engaging openings in cooperating lugs 25 upon the casing and tube, and furnishin a receiverin which are placed cups O. he cups are preferably made from paraifin or other water-proof paper in frusto-conical form and have attheir larger open ends annular projections or flanges 0. In the receiver they are nested in a stack or series in an inv'erted position with their open sides down, this preventing their gathering dirt, the lower or terminal cup being supported upon a delivery member or drum 26 situated in the portion 20 of the casing. The delivery-drum is rotatably mounted by means of opposite trunnions 27, 27 'fittin acylindrical opening in the head 28, w ich may be integral with the casing, and a similar opening in' an opposite separable head 29. In one side of the drum is a cup-holding recess 30 of a somewhat greater diameter than the cup receiving tube 25* and of sufficient depth to contain a cup. Normally this recess is in alinement with the cup-receiver. The drum between its opposite extremities or heads is cut away to furnish a surface 31 eccentric to the axis and at each side of this surface are projections 32, 32 from the end walls 33, these projections being of such extent that they lie below the receiver and act as a support for the stack of cups. In the inner faces of the walls 33, outside and parallel to the surface 31, are opposite grooves 34, 34, providing cam-surfaces and being adapted to admit the cup-flanges at one end. The

projections have a narrow entrance portion- 35 to the grooves, whil the opposite ends of theprojections go but a part of the distance.

to facilitate the discharge of the cups, which is further aided by inner curved surfaces 36 upon the extremities of the projections.

The drum 26 is movable from its normal to its delivery-position by a finger-piece 37 projecting through a segmental slot 38 in the head 28, and when the finger-piece contacts with the upper end of the slot, the cup-recess or holder is maintained in its normal alinement with the cup-receiver. It is held in this position when not in use by a spiral torsion spring 40 secured at its opposite ends to the casing and drum, respectively, and lying in an annular chamber 41, formed between said members. Gravity aids, and might be made to entirely effect, the return of the drum to normal, since the preponderance of weight is at the bottom of the holder. The opposite end 42 of the slot limits the delivery-travel of the drum and causes the recess to stop in registration with a dispensing openlng 43 through the front of the casing, which occupies such a position that while it will allow the cu -.to be discharged through it by gravity, t e interior of the cup-holder may be readily seen by the user of the apparatus. The edge of the opening 43 is encircled by a bead 43*, which gives a smooth surface free from all angular projections. i

The movement of the drum is, in the present instance, controlled bya check or coin, which may be inserted through a slot 44 situated in the front of the casing just above the delivery opening and at the opposite side from the finger-piece. Provided no coin has been inserted in this slot the rotation of the drum for more than a few degrees is prevented by a pawl 45 ivoted upon the inner surface of the casingead 29 and drawn inwardly by a sprin 45 to engage a stopshoulder 46 form upon the drum; but when a coin B is introduced into the apparatus through the slot, it enters a recess or carrier 47 at the end of the drum, and its curved edge furnishes a surface over which the end of the pawl rides and is held out of engagement with the stop-shoulder, thus enabling the drum to be rotated toward its delivery-position. This coin-controlled mechanism forms no part of the present invention and need not be more particularly described.

lVhen in the rotation of the drum its cupholding recess approaches the delivery opening, the coin falls by gravity from its carrier through a guide channel 48, which is located at one side of the large passage 24, connecting the upper and lower cylinders. From this channel it enters a slot 49 at the top of a coin receptacle or bank 50, which is preferably cylindrical, it being situated within the portion 21 of the casing and having a lock 51 to secure it therein.

To prevent rearward movement of the the casing holds the former in a normally upright position, when this is permitted by the entrance of the engaging end of the pawl into a depression 56, at the time the drumrecess is opposite the'cup-receiver, and in a depression 57 when the drum is at its opposite extreme of movement. During the travel of the drum one or the other of the square corners at the opposite sides of the contact surface drag over the drum surface, and prevent its rearward movement by engaging either the side a or side 6 of notches 58 formed in the drum.

To insure the downward or feeding movement of the cups in the receiver 25, there is placed upon the upper cup of the series a weighted follower 59. The drum and follower have a cooperating projection 60 and opening 61, which are brought into engagement after withdrawal of the last cup from the receiver, thus locking the drum against return movement and preventin the insertion of a coin into the slot 44, w rich at this time is closed by an annular surface carried by the drum.

Assuming that in addition to the supply in the receiver there is 'a cup in the drumrecess, the introduction of a coin of the proper size through the slot 44 provides for the raising of the pawl 45, so that a person using the machine may rotate the drum to its delivery position by the finger-piece 37. When the recess is brought opposite the dispensing opening 43, its lower wall furnishes an inclined surface down which the cup slides, and is held projecting from the opening by the contact of its flange with the drum rojection 32. If, for any reason, the cup stlcks at the rear of the recess, the user of the apparatus can readily observe this through the opening 43, and reaching into the recess is able to withdraw the cup with ease. When the on appears in the usual manner, as indicate :by dotted lines in Fig. 7 of the drawings, it may be removed by the operator with the free hand while the other is holding the finger-piece against the end 42 of the slot 38, or, if this is not done, and the finger-piece 37 is first released, the spring in returning the drum to its initial position presses t e on against the upper convergm walls of the ispensing opening, which ten to press the opposite sides toward one another and thus free the flanges from their engagement with the drum projections, wholl ejecting the cup from the apparatus, it fal ing open side up upon a suitable receiving surface.

As the cup was being delivered from the drum recess the lower cup' of the series in the receiver rides onto that portion of the drum adjacent to the contracted ends 35 of the projections 32, and upon the return of the drum under the influence of its weight and of the spring 40 after the release of the finger-piece, the flange c of this cup enters the grooves 34, and by virtue of their eccentricity with respect to the outer surfaces of the projections, which now contact with the next cup of the series, the terminal cup is withdrawmfrom its companions and falls into the recess ready for the next operation of the apparatus. It will be seen that during both the forward or delivery-movement, and the return or feeding movement, travel in one direction must continue until completed because of the pawl 52, which engages the notches 58 in the proper manner to guard against reverse movement until it can assume an erect position in either the depression 56 or 57, whereupon, during the following travel it acts in the opposite direction.

The receiver being emptied,- the follower falls until it rests upon the drum, and when this is rotated for the dispensing of the last cup the projections 60 and 61 cooperate to lock the apparatus against further use until the follower has been raised and the supply of cups renewed.

The invention of the present application is an improvement on the apparatus disclosed in the applications of Lawrence W. Luellen, Serial No. 424732, filed April 2, 1908, and Serial No. 529206, filed November 22, 1909, and no claim istherefore made in this case to the broad subject matter dis-.

closed and claimed in said applications.

While I have described one specific embodiment of my invention by way ofillustration, it is not to be understood that my invention is limited to such embodiment, but I realize that modifications may be made therein and I intend to cover the principle of my invention broadly.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. A cup-dispensing apparatus comprising acasmg' having in its front a dispensincline and with the extremity of said cup means for drawing a cup from the receiver during movement of the delivery member. 3. A cup-dispensing apparatus comprising a casing having in its front a dispensing opening, a cup-receiver communicating with the casing near its top, a delivery member rotatable in the casing and provided with a cup-holdin recess having an opening normally in ahnement with the cup-receiver and at the opposite extreme of movement registering with the dispensing opening, and means for drawing a cup from the receiver during the return of the delivery member from its delivery position to its normal position.

4. A cup-dispensing apparatus comprising a casing having in its front a dispensing opening, a cup-receiver communicating with the casing, a member movable by the user of the apparatus for delivering a cup to the dispensingopening, and means forming a part of 'the movable delivery member for retaining the cup in the opening until a further movement on the part of the ser.

5. A cup-dispensing apparatus conl prising a casing having a dispensing opening, a member movable by the user of the apparatus for delivering a cup to the dispensing opening, means for temporarily retaining the cup in the opening, and means actuated by reverse movement of the delivery member for discharging the cup from the open- 6. A cup-dispensing apparatus comprising a casing having a dispensing opening, a cupreceiver communicating with the casing, a member movable by the user of the apparatus for delivering a cup to the dispensing opening, means for returning the delivery member to its normal position, and means actuated by the returning means for ejecting the cup through the delivery opening. In cup dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing having a delivery open- 8. In cup dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing having a curved front wall with a dispensing opening therein, and having flat end walls, one of which is removable, the other end wall of the casing having a curved slot therein, a cup receiver supported upon the casing, a delivery drum fitting within the casing and held therein by the removable end wall of the casing, the delivery drum having its head situated in proximity to the end wall of the casing and carrying a finger piece projecting through the casing slot, said delivery drum having a holder adapted to receive a cup from the cup receiver, and acting when the drum is rotated by engagement with the finger piece to deliver the cup at the cup delivery opening in'the casing.

9 A cup dispensing apparatus comprising a'casing provided with a front opening with converging sides, a movable delivery member provided with a discharge orifice, means for alining the front opening of the casing and the discharge orifice of the delivery member, means operating to deliver a cup from the delivery member and retain the same temporarily projecting through the opening of the caslng, said delivery member operating to automatically release the cup and separate it from the dispensing apparatus.

10. A. cup dispensing apparatus comprising a cup receiver adapted to accommodate a stack of nested flanged cups, a cup receiving drum mounted to oscillate beneath the cup receiver and having a cup pocket therein, said drum being provided with integral oppositely disposed cup engaging members, adapted to engage, and guide the terminal cup from the stack and deposit same in the cup pocket when the drum is operated, and means for temporarily projecting and holding said cup in delivery position.

11. A cup dispensing apparatus comprising a casing provided with a delivery opening, a cup receiver for a stack of nested flanged cups, a delivery member rotatable in the casing and having a cup-holding recessadapted to be alternately placed into communication with the cup receiver and the delivery opening of the casing and means for drawing the terminal cup from the receiver into the cup-holding recess of the drum during the return movement of the drum from its delivery position to its normal position, said means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed curved members, mounted upon the drum and having portions extending inwardly toward one another, providing guide-ways for the transferof the terminal cup from the nested stack to the recess of the delivering drum, said members being adapted to sustain the remainder of the stack of nested cups when separating and delivering the terminal cup to the delivery rename drum, said guide members having ends cut away to form inner beveled surfaces 36 adjacent the orifice of the recess of the delivery drum, to guide and facilitate the delivery of the cup therefrom.

12. In dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing havmg a curved wall and fiat end walls, one of which is removable, an article receiver mounted on the casing, a delivery drum rotatably mounted within the casing and having trunnions on its heads supported in bearings in the fixed and removable end walls of the casing, and having on its head adjacent to the fixed wall of the casing a finger piece projecting through a curved slot in said casing wall.

13. In cup dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing having a curved front portion with a delivery opening therein, a delivery member within the casing, a cup reservoir located above the casing, means for separating a terminal cup from a stack of flanged cups in the cup reservoir and depositing the same in a cup recess in the delivery member, said delivery member when operated delivering the cup at the delivery opening of the casing, the walls of said delivery opening and a surface of the delivery member engaging the. flange of the cup and temporarily retaining the same with its bottom projected through the delivery opening in an accessible position.

14:. In cup dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing having a curved front portion with a substantially circular delivery opening therein, a movable delivery drum mounted Within the casing having a cup receiving pocket therein, a cup reservoir mounted above the casing, means for separating a cup from a stack of cups within the reservoir and depositing the same in the cup receiving pocket in the delivery drum, said delivery drum when rotated operating to deliver a cup through the delivery openingtand means engaging the cup for temporarily retaining the same projected through the opening in the casing.

15. In cup dispensing apparatus, the combination of a casing having a delivery opening therein, a delivery drum movable in the casing and having a cup receiving pocket therein, a cup reservoir mounted on the casing, means for permitting a cup from the cup reservoir to ass into the pocket in the drum, the delivery drum when actuated operating to deliver the cup at the delivery opening and into contact with a portion of the wall of said opening, a portion of the delivery drum engaging the cup and temporarlly retaining the same partly within and in contact with the wall of the opening.

. 16. A cup dispensing apparatus, includlng a casing having a delivery opening therein, and a cup delivery member movable within the casing and adapted to deliver a cup Signed at New York, (borough of Manat said delivery openlng, portions of said hattan,) county of New York and State of delivery member and of the wall of said. New York, this 2nd day of April, 1909. 10 delivery opening co-acting in engagement EDWIN Gr. WESSMAN. with said cup to present its bottom firstin Witnesses: an accessible position for removal from the JOHN J i LORDAN, dispensing apparatus. K. L. FRANKLIN. 

